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24 Crim. Just. & Behavior 3 (1997)

handle is hein.journals/crmjusbhv24 and id is 1 raw text is: 




MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

IN UNITED STATES JAILS

A   Survey of Innovative Practices




SUZANNE M. MORRIS
HENRY J.   STEADMAN
BONITA M. VEYSEY
Policy Research Associates. Inc., Delmar New York


This study used a stratified sample to elicit information about policies and practices for managing
detainees with mental illnesses in five sizes of jails. The research design involved 3 phases: (a)
a mail survey to arandom sampling of all United States jails, (b) a telephone survey to a stratified
sample of 100 of the mail survey respondents, and (c) site visits to 10 jails. The findings indicated
much emphasis in the jails' mental health services on screening, evaluation, and suicide
prevention. Also, despite numerous barriers faced by jails in providing treatment for detainees
with mental illnesses, many have designed and implemented innovative programs and policies
for this group. The observed innovative programs and policies are divided into 5 core areas so
that other jails, using the information provided, can develop a mental health service strategy
within their resources.





U nited States jail populations are exploding. From 1982 to 1995,
      the number of persons in jail on any given day in the United
States increased  from  209,582  to 507,044  (Bureau  of Justice Statistics,
1996).   In the  12-month period preceding June 1993, there were
approximately 9.8 million new admissions to jails across the country
(Bureau   of Justice Statistics, 1995).



AUTHORS' NOTE: This research was supported by grants from the National
Institute of Mental Health, Violence and Traumatic Stress Branch (RO1-MH48523)
and the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, United States
Department  of Justice, under Award No. 92-IJ-CX-K020. Points of view in this

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, Vol. 24 No. 1, March 1997 3-19
@ 1997 American Association for Correctional Psychology
                                                                          3


from the SAGE Social Science Collections. All Rights Reserved.

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